Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Now Don’t Make Me Have To Act Boldly Against Some of You, For My Weapons Are Powerful

10 Now I, Paul, myself, am appealing-to you by the gentleness and kindness of Christ— I who face-to-face am lowly among you, but while absent am-bold toward you! ² And I am begging that I may not [have to] be bold^[a] while present with the confidence with which I am considering to dare [to act] against some considering us as walking in accordance with the flesh^[b]. ³ For [though] walking in the flesh, we are not waging-war in accordance with the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly^[c], but powerful in^[d] God for the tearing-down of fortresses. We are tearing-down^[e] considerations^{[f] 5} and every height^[g] being raised-up against the knowledge of God, and taking-captive every thought^[h] to the obedience of Christ, ⁶ and being ready to punish^[i] all disobedience^[j], when your obedience is fulfilled^[k].

If I Boast In My Authority In Christ, I Will Not Be Put To Shame

⁷ You are^[l] looking at things according to appearance. If someone^[m] is confident in himself that he is Christ’s^[n], let him consider this again in himself: that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we. ⁸ For if I should boast anything more about our authority, which the Lord gave for building-up and not for tearing you down, I shall not be put-to-shame— ⁹ in order that I may not seem^[o] as-if I would [merely] frighten you by my letters! ¹⁰ Because “The letters”, he^[p] says, “are weighty and strong, but the presence of his body is weak, and his speaking is treated-with-contempt^[q]”. ¹¹ Let such a one consider this: that such as we are in word by letters while absent, such ones we are also in deed while present!